Welcome to Kindergarten!

Contact Info.

Welcome

Hello and welcome to our Kindergarten class! This will be my fifth year teaching at HLWW. Of those five years, I've spent all except one in Kindergarten! I'm excited for another year of learning, growing, and developing in Kindergarten!

If you have any questions, comments or concerns feel free to contact me via my voice mail or email located to the right of your screen.

-Ms. Stefanie Thorsen

Meet Ms. Thorsen

I grew up in a small town outside of Wisconsin Dells. After doing some tutoring and volunteering in a local elementary school I decided to pursue my undergraduate degree in Elementary Education with a minor in Early Childhood Education. I attended the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and opened my heart and mind to techniques in Primary Education from around the world. My studies included a trip to Perth, Australia to teach and learn about many worldly philosophies including Reggio Emilia, Inquiry Based Learning, and International Baccalaureate. After graduating I moved to Minnesota and began my job hunt. I was hired by HLWW as a Kindergarten teacher in 2013.

When I'm not teaching, I keep busy by crafting, traveling, and volunteering. While I'm a "crafter," I like to call myself a "dabbler." I haven't quite found my niche craft so I just dabble with painting, quilting, paper crafts, and even digital art. Recently, I took a road trip, after 98 hours on the road, I had traveled to five National Parks as well as Portland, and Seattle. My fiance and I are always making plans for our next trip. A passion of mine is volunteering and the organization, Can-Do-Canines has quickly made its way into my heart. I volunteer with the organization by raising and fostering puppies who will one day be assistance dogs! It's a rewarding opportunity that fills me with joy all while helping others! These things keep me busy but not as busy as my students do!

I am excited to spend the next year learning about my students and their families and sharing my experiences with them!

Schedule

8:05 - 8:30

Morning Work

8:30 - 9:00

Morning Meeting and Calendar Math

9:00 - 10:00

Math

10:00 - 10:30

Special Topics (Tuesday is Library 10:00 - 10:25)

10:40 - 11:10

Recess

11:10 - 11:35

Lunch

11:45 - 12:15

Quiet Time

12:15 - 1:15

Literacy

1:15 - 2:15

Physical Education and Music

2:15 - 2:30

Snack

2:30 - 2:50

Free Choice

2:50 - 3:10

End of Day Routines

3:10

Dismissal

Kindergarten Policies and Procedures

Ms. Thorsen’s Class 2017 - 2018

Communication

Communication: You may reach Ms. Thorsen during the day through email or voicemail. I will check phone calls, and emails on my preps at 11:10 and 1:20. If you have an urgent communication or an afternoon communication please call the office and a message will be delivered to me and/or your child.

Daily Folder: Your child’s daily folder will come home nightly. It will house homework and time sensitive information. Please check and empty this folder nightly. Please return it to school daily.

Success Stickers: Students will earn success stickers throughout the year as they meet academic and social milestones. Please look for these stickers inside your child’s nightly folder and help them celebrate their success as they earn them.

Wednesday Folder: Your child will bring home important school, class, and community notes in their Wednesday Folder every week. Please complete any paperwork, sign the inside of the folder, and return it to school each Thursday.

Kindy Talk: Classroom newsletters are written to give you an insight into our weekly curriculum and keep you informed of special happenings throughout the year. You will be able to access Kindy Talk via the app/website Bloomz. If this access does not work for you please let Ms. Thorsen know immediately.

Classroom Apps:

1. Bloomz is a major communication tool for our classroom. I highly recommend downloading the app but you may also choose to sign up via the website and select to receive email or text notifications instead of app use. Our classroom calendar, conference signups, volunteer signups, newsletters, and announcements will be housed in Bloomz. Please get started today by downloading the Bloomz app or visiting Bloomz.com and use the class code CYHVD6

2. Seesaw will be your window into our classroom this year. Seesaw is a digital learning journal. Students will be able to document their learning and daily happenings through videos, photographs, and drawings. On Seesaw you will be able to like and comment on your child’s work and download all of their work to commemorate their Kindergarten year.

Food At School

Breakfast: Breakfast is served every morning at school except on Late Start Days. Kindergarteners who arrive before 8:15 AM have the option to eat breakfast free of charge. Children who choose not to eat breakfast go outside (weather permitting) to play.

Lunch: You may pay for school lunch online or you can send lunch money to school. If you choose to send lunch money to school please send cash or check in an envelope or folded paper with your child’s name and the words “lunch money.” Lunch count will be taken by 8:30 AM. Please talk to your child about the lunch choices (cold, main, or alternative choice) so we can accurately take lunch count. This ensures we have less food waste as well as enough for all students. Our class eats lunch at 11:10. You are welcome to eat with your child throughout the school year. If you would like to eat lunch with your child please let the office know by 8:30AM so you can be included in lunch count.

Snack: Each afternoon students will be given time to enjoy a snack. Milk is available to all Kindergarteners free of charge. A $20 snack fee will be collected every quarter. With those funds students will be provided a snack each day. Snacks will range from fruit and veggies, to crackers, to thematic snacks, to classroom made snacks.

Birthdays and Celebrations: If you would like to send a class snack to celebrate your child's birthday or half birthday please ensure it’s a store bought snack in its original packaging. Trinkets are also a great idea for birthdays. Believe it or not, students get more excited about pencils and party favors than they do cupcakes!

Water Bottles: Students are encouraged to keep a water bottle in the classroom. Please label your student’s water bottle with their name. Only unflavored water will be allowed. On Fridays all water bottles will be sent home for cleaning.

Arrival and Dismissal

Arrival: Students arriving by car should be dropped off in the circle. Parents wishing to bring their child into the building must park in a stall and sign in to the office. Supervision will be available starting at 7:55am.At this time students may eat breakfast or play on the playground (weather permitting). At 8:05am students are admitted into the building, their lockers, and their classrooms. School begins at 8:15am at this time students are expected to be in the classroom and ready for their day. If you are arriving late (past 8:15AM) you must escort your child into the office and sign them in.

Dismissal: Students are dismissed at 3:10pm. Students will follow their regular dismissal routine unless a note or a phone call has been received by the office or Ms. Thorsen. No one other than a parent may pick up a student unless communication from the parent is received by the office or Ms. Thorsen. Please note that last minute dismissal changes must go through the office, not through email or voicemail to Ms. Thorsen. If someone else picks up your child on a routine schedule one signed note may be written for the entire school year. (ie Sarah will be picked up by her Grandmother, Susie Johnson, every Tuesday.)

Classroom Beliefs

Teaching Philosophy: As an educator I believe each child is full of potential. I work hard to create a classroom environment that fosters this potential through creativity and independence. I value my relationship with my students and strive to meet children at their individual levels while scaffolding their learning based on personal interests and strengths.

Classroom Expectations: Our classroom functions as a community where we show respect and understanding towards one another. As a class, we establish 3 to 5 basic rules to manage our behaviors and class time. To help us create this community and follow these rules we will rely on the Nurtured Heart Approach and the techniques of Responsive Classroom.

Parent Involvement: Family is a fundamental part of our classroom. Your input, concerns, and ideas are an important part of your child’s education. Please feel free to contact Ms. Thorsen with any thing you’d like to discuss. Parents are also welcome to volunteer and observe throughout the year. For more information on any of these things please contact Ms. Thorsen.

Curriculum: The following core curricula is used in our classroom: Reading Street, EZ Write, Kinder Math, and enVision 2.0.

Classroom Celebrations: Classroom celebrations are an important part of our classroom. We typically observe and celebrate achievements, birthdays, school traditions, and many holidays throughout the year. If you’re child will need accommodations for these celebrations please let Ms. Thorsen know immediately so we can make arrangements that are sensitive to your child’s beliefs.

Homework

Backpack Books: In late September students will start bringing home backpack books. Students are asked to read one book per night and two books over the weekend. This homework is meant to be enjoyable and a jump start to reading. If your student is struggling with motivation or not enjoying backpack books please discuss it with Ms. Thorsen.

Sight Word Practice: Students will independently work through the Kindergarten sight word list using Rainbow Words. With this program many students naturally work ahead of the curriculum. However, you may chose to practice these words at home if your child gets stuck on a level.

Special Projects: Occasionally students will bring home special projects that are to be completed as a family. Examples of these projects are a snowman at night, a turkey in disguise, and a letter cape.

Handwriting: Each handwriting page includes one line of homework which should take only a few minutes for your child to complete. This homework will come home approximately twice a week. If your child has surpassed expectations for the assignment then the words “Amazing Work” will be written over the homework line and your child does not have to complete it!

Incomplete Class Work: On occasion students may not finish their classroom assignments. This can happen due to a variety of reasons including absences and poor time management by the student. When this happens work will come home with the student to be completed and returned the next day.